A Wilde Journey
by Nexijay
Summary: As the months pass, Nick begins to adapt to his new life as a singe parent, though it is met with consistent complications. Thankfully Nick has the support of Judy and his young daughter Isabelle. Check out the Isabelle, Nick, and Judy new story in; A Wilde Journey. (cover art by: xx-Junglebeatz-xx)
1. Day in the City

_Hello everyone, with the high success of "Its called a baby sweetheart" i figured it was only right to create a second story in correlation with ICABS. The new story, that you are now reading, will show not only Isabelle's life but also Nick, Judy, and other friends and family of the trio. The story will be consistently rate PG-13 for mild use of language, in addition but not fully related to the rating: there will be scenes that may dictate certain events/situations that some viewers may find uncomfortable. This can range from references to my previous Mpreg story to even talking about interspecies/racial marriages and possibly even the LGBTQ community. I would like to fully disclose that anything featured in this story is not to discriminate against anyone in regards to gender preference, sexual identity, race, or beliefs but only to showcase the troubles in the purely fictional world. I include this due to hateful phrases that may be included!_

 _With that in mind if you see something that you believe is extremely offensive please inform me on social media (i.e Tumblr) or by email. The writing team and I will then look it over and discuss the best course of action. I will reiterate though, there will be scenes that depict many different Social problems and our intention is only to provide entertainment for the Zootopian fandom._

 _Thank you for your time and on behalf of the team, we hope you enjoy our new story!_

* * *

 _I was no more than six months old when Dad first showed me to the world, voluntarily showed me that is. It was the first time that he and I were actually going to go out and visit other animals; not just the doctors who were still fascinated by me, but actual friends and family of his. Though I'm sure I was excited at the chance to go out, I doubt I could actually express that emotion in the slightest; have you ever seen a six-month-old who could? However, Dad did say that on that day in particular I was more active than usual, giggling, fidgeting, and grabbing anything i could get my paws on, which ended up being mainly his fluffy tail or velvety ears. Whether or not this was a coincidence I'm not sure, but what I do know is that my first outing turned out to be one of the most enjoyable days of Dad's life, oh and Mom's too._

 _This little trip took place in June, months after my birth back in December. Since then, Dad and Mom, or as I knew her 'Aunt Judy', had kept me a secret, letting only a select few see me, with the majority of those few being doctors. Needless to say, I could only imagine that Dad was apprehensive, after all, the means of my birth were rather extraordinary…_

"Yes, don't worry she's okay, we just finished getting ready for the photographer." Nick said, playing with Isabelle as he tried to reassure the bunny on the phone.

"Well do you have extra formula just in case? And a change of diapers? What about something to help her teething? I heard that predatory animals teeth much faster and more severely than prey!" Judy exclaimed, growing more worried by the second.

"Oh trust me, I know." Nick chuckled ruefully and rubbed his ear, feeling the tiny puncture marks from that morning when Isa was feeling hangry. "Carrots, you need to relax, it's only a few short stops then off to see your folks. Leave some worrying for me, ok?"

Nick picked up Isabelle up in his arms and carried her to his bed, his phone trapped between his head and shoulder.

"Alright." Judy relented, "But Nick, are you sure you want me in the picture too? I mean, it's supposed to be a 'family portrait'."

"Exactly." Nick replied, placing Isabelle on the bed and pulling his shirt on, "Family only. And you're family. Right Isa?" Nick grabbed his phone from his shoulder and moved it down to his kit.

"Tell Aunt Judy how much she means to us." He commanded, tickling her belly.

"Bah!" Isabelle gurgled.

"That's right!" Nick affirmed, nuzzling her before returning the phone to his ear.

"See?" The vulpine continued, buttoning up his shirt, "Isa agrees." Nick smiled as he heard Judy chuckle on the other end of the line.

"It would mean a lot to me for you to be there with us." He continued, grabbing his jacket from the closet and pulling it on, "I mean we're already spending the day together, the only difference is that now you won't have an excuse to wear your pajamas while we're out!"

"That was one time!" Judy defended, "And as I remember it, that only happened because you called me, begging for help!"

"Heh, right…"

"Well you I could say no to, but how could I deny her." Judy responded, her light, joking tone hiding her delight at the invitation, "I'll get ready."

"Well I'm lucky no one can say no to Isa then." Nick chuckled, the relief evident in his voice as he adjusted his clothing in the mirror. Though he would never let her know it, having Judy in his and Isabelle's life was of the utmost importance. His daughter needed someone other than him, another loving adult who could be there for her when he couldn't. With Heather gone, who better to fill that void than Judy Hopps?

"Let me say goodbye to Isa!" Judy ordered, jolting Nick out of his reverie. The fox smiled and held the phone back down to Isabelle.

"Bye sweetheart! Auntie will see you soon! I love you!" After a few noises from her, Nick brought the phone back up to his ear.

"We'll see you soon. Bye Carrots." Nick sang, ending the call and sitting beside Isabelle.

"What do you think, squirt, should I tell her?" He asked the kit, who was trying, and failing miserably, to roll onto her stomach.

Isabelle only babbled and cooed , lifting her small paws up to Nick. With a soft smile he reached over and hoisted Isabelle into his arms, kissing her head tenderly. This was something he often marveled at. Nick was never the type of mammal that was obsessed with kits and always doubted his ability to be a good father. The mere thought of kits of his own filled the fox with anxiety. Would they love him? Could he be patient, gentle, and loving enough? But ever since having Isa, the doubts that had plagued the vulpine for years vanished almost without a trace. Sure, occasional doubts of his capabilities appeared from time to time, but they were rapidly quashed by Isabelle's need for constant attention, the joy he feels when playing with her, or even when Judy comes to visit or spend the day. That was something else new. With Nick as a single parent, Judy felt that it was her responsibility to make sure that everything was going ok. The lapin dropped by everyday like clockwork, always checking to see if there was anything she could do to help. But in recent times, her visits had become less about checking up, and more about hanging out.

Judy began to spend many of her days off with Nick and Isabelle, often joining them on one of their favourite activities: walking through the scenic areas of the Rainforest District. Despite a few mammals shooting them strange looks, their walks were absolutely perfect. Whether it was stopping to eat at a small shop, just sitting on a bench, cradling Isabelle and talking, or walking non-stop for hours, letting Isabelle sleep soundly as the light drops of rain pattered on her translucent stroller cover, nothing could top their weekly activity, to the point where the days they went became the automatic highlight of the week. But as time passed and snow began to fall, the fickle weather forced them to spend more time than anticipated. During the winter months, the only area not buried in snow was Sahara Square, and by then it was usually overcrowded by mammals fleeing the winter chill. During one particularly awful storm, over a third of the city experienced a mass power shortage, including Judy's apartment. That was the first time Judy stayed at Nick's apartment.

Not only was the power out at Judy's but the storm was picking up, winds increasing by the minute as the soft snow soon turned to hard hail and Nick's lights began to flicker. During that night, Nick and Judy stayed up for hours, each taking turns holding Isabelle in the candlelit living room, sipping on hot cocoa, and laughing about old childhood stories. Even when the storm calmed down, their time wasn't over. That night, Nick slept with Isabelle in one arm and Judy in his other, safe and warm under the soft blankets.

Since then Judy and Nick both found excuses to spend the night together, and though it was primarily at Nick's apartment, there were rare occasions when they slept at Judy's. But as cramped as it was, it worked for them.

Neither Nick nor Judy mentioned their living arrangements, or spared any thought as to why they so enjoyed each other's company at night. It was simply something they did and refrained from questioning. However, aside from the enjoyment both mammals gleaned from spending time together, Nick and Judy shared something else, something that created the question that plagued Nick each and every day: "Should I tell Judy?"

BEEP-BEEP-BEEP! BEEP-BEEP-BEEP!

"Oh sweet cheese and crackers! Where'd the time go?! We gotta move squirt!" Nick fretted, jolted out of his reverie by the harsh blaring of his alarm. In a frenzy, the fox shoved the last of Isabelle's things into her bag and flung it over his arm.

"C'mon Isa." He crooned, cradling her in one arm while grabbing his bag with the other. Nick took one last look around the bedroom to ensure nothing was left behind before rushing out the door, stopping only to grab his keys in his snout from atop the living room table. With some difficulty, the vulpine opened the door and slammed it behind him, waiting only to hear the lock click before racing towards the elevator.

Nick and Judy had been planning this day for the past month, with "planning" meaning Judy spending large amounts of time trying to calm an anxious Nick. The part of the plan that caused Nick the most distress was the visit to the ZPD. After several discussions with Judy, Nick finally conceded that it was time for his colleagues to meet the adorable little kit. Of course, that would have to come after the family photo, an event that Nick had booked far in advance, about a month after Isabelle's birth, before the onslaught of activities planned by him and Judy.

After the excursion to the ZPD, Judy planned to bring Nick out to Bunnyburrow to visit her parents, since they had been asking time and time again to see the kit. At first, Nick was reluctant to visit the Hopps household, but a combination of Judy's coaxing and the support her parents had given him while having Isabelle eventually swayed him. As soon as Judy told her parents that she and Nick were planning a day trip, the situation spiraled out of his control, going from a day trip, to a lunch, to supper, and finally to an overnight when Bonnie insisted that they "shouldn't drive all the way back on a full stomach." In hindsight, an overnight was inevitable; who was Judy or even Nick to oppose the will of Bonnie Hopps? Regardless of how it happened, Nick was excited to visit the burrows. Judy's family deserved to meet Isabelle and it had been too long since Nick felt like part of a family.

Nick pulled up in his small ZPD cruiser outside Judy's apartment and parked in front of the door. Even though he wasn't an active cop at the moment, Bogo permitted him to keep and use it at his leisure, so long as he didn't go off and start a chase. Nick glanced down at his watch, his tail flicking behind him as he worried that Judy had been kept waiting. With each second that ticked by, Nick worried that she may have already left, or maybe she decided that the family photo wasn't worth the trouble. These negative thoughts rushed through his mind, agitating him further until he heard the apartment door close.

Nick whipped his head around and relief flooded through him when he noticed Judy walking to the car. His initial panic faded, but as she drew closer the breath caught in Nick's throat and his shirt began shaking from the force of his heartbeat. Judy wore a dress Nick had not seen before; a voluminous, salmon gown with long sleeves and two distinctive bows, one on the front of her dress which wrapped around the back, and the other nestled atop her head. Surprisingly, the light hue of the dress highlighted Judy's eyes, showcasing their brilliant amethyst color.

The door of the cruiser clicked open and Judy climbed in, pulling the rest of the dress inside before slamming the door.

"I hope you weren't waiting long." Judy apologized, turning and putting her bag behind the seat. As she did her eyes immediately lit up as she noticed Isabelle in her baby blue dress. A smile grew on Isabelle's face as she started to wiggle in her car seat and wag her tail, making a small thumping sound on the sides of the seat.

"Hi there beautiful! Oh look at you!" Judy cooed, tickling Isabelle's tummy and enjoying the sound of the giggling kit.

"I missed you so much!" Judy exclaimed, leaning down to give Isabelle a big and loud kiss, making her giggle all the more. "I missed you too, Nick." Judy murmured as she leaned over, giving Nick as peck on the cheek. Nick touched his cheek where Judy kissed him and blushed as he felt his heart speed up even more.

"You, look very pretty, fluff. New dress?" Nick inquired, attempting to speak past the sudden dryness in his throat.

"It is!" Judy responded, absentmindedly stroking her ears, "I just bought it a few days ago, thought it was perfect for the summer seasons." Nick sat there for a moment, admiring the Judy's appearance and trying to find something to say. This was never hard when they were hanging out at his place, why was it so hard to speak now? The question echoed in Nick's head until Judy piped up.

"Thank you, for inviting me to be in yours and Isabelle's picture, Nick." She offered, meeting Nick's gaze.

"It wouldn't be a family picture without you, Carrots. After all, you're a big part of both of our lives." Nick smiled as he reached around and tugged on Isabelle's feet to emphasize his point, earning yet another giggle, this time from both Isabelle and Judy.

Turning back into his seat, he looked over at Judy, who was still playing with Isabelle, and as he pulled away from Judy's apartment he silently asked himself "How could I have been so lucky to find a friend like her?"

The drive to the photographers was punctuated by constant giggling and laughter from both girls, as Judy continued to play and tickle Isabelle, occasionally making funny faces at her while she took pictures with her phone. Nick remained focused on driving, since summer traffic in Zootopia was hellacious, rivaled only by the holidays, but he still glanced over from time to time, heart filling with warmth for Judy's affection towards his kit. The photographers was only a short drive away, so there was no point in putting on any music, especially since he loved hearing the joyful laughter of Isabelle. What surprised Nick, but was lost on his distracted partner, was the amount of confused and suspicious looks they were given as they drove along the street. Many animals who were walking along the sidewalk turned to look through the open window upon hearing Isabelle's laughter, only to see a bunny tickling a fox kit. Several groups began to mutter to each other, but the passing traffic hid their conversations from Nick's sensitive ears. But not even a few close minded mammals could bring him down today.

Turning into the small plaza, Nick galnced at the clock on the dashboard and let out a sigh of relief; they were still on time. Nick pulled into a parking space right in front of the photographers and looked around the car. Judy hopped out and opened the side door to get Isabelle. The little kit gurgled and cooed in happiness as Judy unbuckled her, trying to get her tiny paws on Judy's ears. After a few attempts, Isabelle gave up and targeted Judy's cheek fur, grabbing a pawful and tugging. Judy gave Isabelle a pained smile as she gently removed the kit's paws from her fur and undid the rest of the straps. Picking up the giggling kit in her arms, Judy let out an exaggerated grunt.

"What are you feeding her Nick!" Judy exclaimed, nuzzling Isabelle with her nose, "She's becoming a big girl so quickly!" Nick only watched, feeling a sense of warmth come over him as Judy cradled the kit.

"You ready?" Judy asked, looking up at Nick, wincing as Isabelle tugged on her ears.

"Heh, yeah I'm ready Carrots." Nick chuckled, gently wrapping an arm around her shoulder. His heart sped up as he did so, as he didn't want to push past his boundaries, after all, Nick still had no idea if Judy shared his feelings.

"Where did you find this place?" Judy asked with a low whistle as the trio walked into the building. The lagomorph glanced around, mesmerized as she surveyed the open studio and the array of expensive equipment. The studio itself was decorated with classic oak wood flooring and mixed red bricks around on the walls. Judy felt Isabelle begin to squirm in her arms and glanced down to see the kit fixated on the pretty pink princess dress, along with other costumes and props, in the closet.

"Believe it or not, Finnick recommended it to me." Nick answered, almost as stunned as Judy.

"Finnick? Really? I didn't know you two still talked." Judy responded, putting down Isabelle so she could crawl on the floor. Judy kept an eye on her but given they were the only ones there it seemed ok.

"Oh yeah. Actually more than we used too. After he found out about Isabelle he started coming around two or three times a week to visit. Who do you think I call to babysit when you and I hang out?" Nick said, grinning at the bunny.

"He'll never admit it but he's always had a soft spot for kits and cubs. Heck when we had leftover pawpsicles he would go over to the local orphanage and hand them out to the kids, free of charge."

"Wow. I never knew he was such a softy." Judy said, shocked by the other side to Nick's old partner in crime. Though she knew Finnick was still a crook in his own way, she had seen his rap sheet, Judy was glad to discover there was more to him than meets the eye.

"Ahhh! Do I hear the voice of a new father!" An excited, accented voice called out from the hallway.

"Oh no way!" Nick exclaimed, a huge smile on his face. A moment later, a tall doe stepped out of the hallway, her fur a light brown with a light white streak running down her nose and tail which was decorated with small black spots, wearing a pair of blue jeans and a loose grey top.

"So that's how Fin knows about this place." Nick muttered, walking over to give the doe a tight hug.

"Dodo, it's been too long." Nick murmured, his voice breaking from the joy.

"Nicky Wilde, it's good to see you. Never thought the next time I'd see you you'd have a kit of your own…you sure she's yours? Looks too cute!" The doe looked up at Judy, and raised an eyebrow, giving Nick a sly smile.

"Or maybe she takes more after this beauty?" Dodo said as she stood up.

"Oh! No, no! Isabelle isn't mine! We aren't-"

"You don't need to explain it, honey, I've seen couples of all different shapes, sizes, and species, the concept doesn't bug me. It is the 21st century after all."

Nick stifled a laugh at the bunny, frozen by the pure awkwardness she felt at the assumption made by the tall, brown eyed doe. He walked over and picked Isabelle off the floor, she had made it halfway to the closet of interesting props and costumes, before walking over to Judy.

"Judy Hopps, meet Doreen Doeiart, or as we called her as kids, Dodo. Dodo, this is my partner and close friend, Judy." Dodo crossed her arms and kept a small smile across her face. Nick sighed.

"Work partner, Doreen, get your mind out from the gutter."

"Well, any friend of Nick's is a friend of mine. Pleasure to meet you Judy." Doreen said cheerfully, extending her hoof to Judy.

"Pleasure to meet you too." Judy said the awkwardness she felt dissipating as she grabbed the does hoof and shook it. "How do you and Nick know each other?" Judy asked, glancing at Nick, then back to Dodo.

"Ha! Well that's a lot of long and…not particularly legal story." The doe chuckled, causing Nick to smile.

"We met on the streets, courtesy of Fin, and hung out a lot when i was a teen. Worked together on a few little schemes which failed more often than they worked." He grinned up at Doreen. She put her paws on her hips as she glared down at Nick, her mouth open but smiling.

"They would've worked if a certain fox wasn't always chasing a vixen who had her tail so high in the air you could see it in The Palm Tree!" Doreen scoffed as she nodded at Nick, "So how's the minxy vixen anyway? Still a prude like I remember?"

Judy quickly noticed Doreen's contempt for the "minxy vixen," who she could only assume was Heather. Though her open dislike surprised Judy, not that she could blame her.

"Heh, uh no. no we broke up almost a year back."

"Oh? Well…I'm sorry that you two broke up, but trust me Nicky, it's for the best. She was a no good sl-"

"Anyways!" Judy interrupted, "I don't think Nick has introduced you to his daughter yet!"

"Oh no he has not." Doreen cooed, directing her gaze at Isabelle. "Oh aren't you the cutest little thing I've ever seen! And those eyes! Those eyes… look a lot like Heathers? But so much prettier!" She bent down and very softly tickled Isabelle's tummy, letting the studio fill with her giggles and squeaks.

"Dodo, this is Isabelle Marie Wilde." Nick said, giving Isabelle a soft kiss on her head.

"She is so cute Nick! I'm so glad you finally decided to settle down. Hopefully more will be on the way." She gave a sly smile and winked over at Judy, who felt herself blush and get warm at that thought. "Well you three came here for your pictures! Why should I keep you waiting any longer! Right this way!"

Doreen took four main pictures; one of just Nick and Isabelle, one of Judy and Isabelle, one of the three of them and the last of both Judy and Nick. The last one was a request from Doreen, saying that as they were already dressed up, they might as well take advantage of the opportunity. After the formal pictures, Doreen brought out a small box of cub toys for Isabelle to play with, things that she used to get kits attention when they didn't want to look at the camera. While Isabelle was playing, Doreen continued snapping photos of Isabelle, who was so preoccupied with the toys that she failed to notice. Judy had to restrain herself whenever Isabelle would do or say something cute. Once Doreen finished taking her pictures, Nick walked over and scooped Isabelle up in his arms. Almost instantly the kit cuddled into Nick, her muzzle rubbing against his white shirt as she inhaled and slowly drifted off to sleep.

Doreen gave a quiet giggle as she and Judy began cleaning up the baby toys and Nick took a seat at the entrance of the studio.

"So…were you and Nick good friends back in the day?" Judy asked, trying to make small talk. Doreen glanced up and gave her a sly smile. "What?"

"'Back in the day' we were more than friends Honey Bun."

"W-what?" Judy asked, astonished.

"What didn't Nick tell you?" Doreen asked as she put the last of the toys away.

"No, he didn't." Judy responded, her tone clipped.

"Don't worry, I don't him like that anymore, that was back when we were kids. We tried out the whole interspecies thing, but we figured we were better off as friends. Plus, the height difference made it a bit awkward. I guess that's why he's going for you." Doreen remarked, not looking at Judy. She picked up the toys and walked to the closet, leaving Judy there to take in her comment.

"Whoa wait, what makes you think I'm into that sorta thing?" Judy asked, a hint of anger creeping into her voice. Doreen only looked back and gave her a small smile.

"Ain't nothing wrong with it Honey Bun, like I've said, I've seen many mammals of all different species walk in here with the same and different in both cases. Besides…" She reached around and grabbed her phone, showing Judy the picture on her lock screen. It was Finnick, sitting on Doreen's shoulder, kissing her cheek.

"That's-"

"That's my Finny." She sighed contentedly. "Nick doesn't know yet, but we've been together for the past few years. I know I don't seem his type, but chemistry and what not moves past the physical boundaries." She looked down at Judy, who was lost in thought.

"He's a good guy. If you only see him as a friend, well that's better than nothing. But there's a reason why I wanted a picture of just the two of you." Doreen turned and opened up her computer and bent over, looking for the right file.

A picture soon filled the screen, Nick and Judy, but not only were they holding hands, Nick was also gazing down at Judy, his emerald eyes glistening with the tender affection and love that one would see in the picture of a newly married couple.

"I had to be sure. It's the same look I've seen in Fin, I noticed it when you two walked in."

"So you think-"

"Oh honey, I know." The doe exclaimed, closing the computer and turning to face Judy. "The Nicky I knew is gone but the one that replaced him is…well he's not a kit anymore I can tell you that."

"Why are you telling me all of this? What do you get out of it?" Judy asked, still keeping her guard up.

"Me? I don't get anything other than seeing and knowing that my old friend is finally living the life he always wanted. Look Judy," Doreen said as she crouched down "I can tell there's some part of you that doesn't trust me, that's cool I can understand. But I promise you the feeling is not mutual. I want what's best for Nick and now, that kit. If that's you then I'm going to help, so will Fin, but it's up to you to make the move, especially if Nick doesn't."

Judy only looked at the ground, her mind once again was rushing with thoughts, hopes and wild dreams. Was Doreen telling the truth about Nick and her? Was Nick actually open to the idea of interspecies couples? Should she actually make a move at this time? There was so much going on in their lives; would it be the right time? These questions filled and raced through Judy's mind, to the point that her heart beat faster than ever before. But her train of thought was broken by a familiar voice.

"Hey Carrots, Dodo, you two okay? How do the pics look?" Nick called from the door, trying to keep his voice down.

"Carrots?" Doreen asked, shooting Judy another sly smile. Judy was starting to understand where Nick got it from. Or was it the other way around?

"Why don't you come see?" Judy offered.

"Yeah right! If I move it'll be like setting off a bomb, only…worse!"

"Don't worry the printed copies will be much better anyway, and well worth it." Doreen assured, putting a paw on Judy's back and guiding her to Nick and Isabelle.

Nick carefully got to his paws, endeavoring not to wake the sleeping kit. He padded over to Judy and Doreen who were standing at the lower tier of Doreen's counter.

"Dodo I can't stress how happy I am to see you! I'm glad Fin told me that you were doing this. Finally living your dream." Nick teased. Doreen grinned at the fox, unphased by his harassment.

"Oh you have no idea." She said, winking at Judy.

"How much do we owe you, Doreen?" Judy asked, reaching into her purse and grabbing her wallet. Judy knew that Nick intended to pay but given his current predicament she knew he wouldn't dare give Isabelle to anyone else and run the risk of waking her up.

"Nothing at all." Doreen proclaimed, holding her hoofs in the air.

"What?!" Nick blurted out, looking over at Judy. "Dodo, come on, Fin described the person we were going to see. Your works been in AniMals Magazine, you're one of the best!"

"I'm also your friend, and to my knowledge I've yet to give you a gift for your kit. So! Anytime you want some family pictures done don't hesitate to give me a ring, no charge for both of ya, and her when she gets older."

"Doreen that's…that's too much." Nick argued weakly. Judy watched the conversation, her eyes wide with surprise

"Now Nicky, we both know what happens when you argue with me." She leaned down and gave him a kiss on his cheek. "Im proud of you Nicky, you've truly grown up."

"About time." Nick said with an uneasy chuckle.

"Well for the right reasons in the end. It's going to be a bit until the pictures are ready. I'll see if I can't find a book for you two to put them all in, another gift from us." Doreen said happily as she marked something on the ledger in front of her.

"Wait, us?" Nick asked, puzzled.

"Thank you so much Doreen. For everything." Judy said as she turned Nick around and pushed him to the door.

"You're welcome Honey Bun, and don't forget what I said, take action!"

Judy and Nick stepped outside of Doreen's studio, both waving to her as they left. While Nick's mind was focused on the present events, getting $300 photographs for free, his unexpected encounter with an old friend, and above all what Doreen meant by "us", Judy's mind was focused around past and future events more than the present.

Her mind echoed with memories of times she and Nick spent together, the picture that Doreen took, what she said to her, all of those time she'd woken up at Nicks with his arm wrapped around her or cuddled close to him.

She knew one thing for certain; she did care about him. About her dumb, handsome, fox. But was now the best time to tell him everything? No. Next week? No. It would be some time until she would tell him how she felt. The last thing she wanted was to make a complete fool of herself and ruin the one true friendship she had, or lose the two things she cared most about in Zootopia…

* * *

The day is far from over for Judy, Nick and little Isabelle. Next stop, the ZPD to finally show Isabelle to their fellow officers and then a train to the Hopps family farm, but not before stopping for a quick treat on the way. But nothing ever goes as planned for our trio.

Don't forget to favorite, comment, follow, and reblog (for those on tumblr!) more to come soon, so don't go away! Stay tuned for the next episode of _A Wilde Journey_!


	2. The ZPD

What is there to say about the ZPD and the many mammals in there? I mean, I considered most of them my second family and as the years went by, it only became more and more true. Most of them I only knew as aunt or uncle. I remember there would be times when Mom and Dad had to go out and they'd let me stay at their office while Aunt Skye or Uncle Benny or Jack watched me. But like most things, it didn't start off that way. The first time Dad took me to the ZPD, he was terrified. When Mom first told me this story I thought Dad was forced to go there against his will. For him, the only positive outcome was that afterwards we were going to grandma and grandpa Hopps' farm, but he had to get through this first…

The Zootopia Police Department; a second home for many of Zootopia's Finest and an unwanted vacation for many of Zootopia's not so finest. A home that Nick had been gone from for what felt like an eternity, even though it was only six months. Though he did occasionally drop by to fill out his paperwork for parental leave, Nick never stayed for long, even if Judy was working. Every time he stepped into the ZPD, Nick shook with fear and anxiety; that alone embarrassed him. The great Nicholas Wilde, reduced to a frightened kit by the mere action of showing up to work. In order avoid such emotions, Nick concluded he was better off avoiding the ZPD. Even though he wanted to see his many friends and colleagues; not to mention how much he missed working with Judy. It was especially humorous when she started arguments with mammals ten time her size.

But the truth was it wasn't just Judy or his friends that Nick missed, it was the sense of purpose he got from the work. Since he was a kit, all Nick had ever wanted was to do the right thing. Obviously hustling animals for their money had its merits, but it just wasn't the same; it never filled that gaping hole in his life. But being an officer, knowing that he could be out there doing something, anything, to make the world a better place, that's what helped him survive the academy. When he had to get up earlier than ever before or when things looked their bleakest, the thought of making the world a better place, despite how surreal it sounded, still made him smile. Mainly because of the bunny who convinced him in the first place.

Still, it had been months since Nick had seen any of his fellow officers and though there was much to miss, the fear of his colleagues and what they would think forestalled the thought of being happy.

Nick pulled into the parking lot of the ZPD, while Judy tapped away on her phone, messaging a friend in the ZPD. Nick had no idea what they were saying, only that it was one of Judy's close friends.

"Okay, Skye just messaged me, the ZPD is dead. We can go in, see Bogo, and leave." Judy proclaimed with a smile, putting her phone back into her purse.

Skye, a close friend of Judy's, was a svelte arctic fox, slightly taller than Judy but shorter than Nick, who became friends with Judy shortly after the Missing Mammals case and the discovery of the Nighthowler Poison. While she was already considering a career in law enforcement at the time, it was Judy's story, along with her capability and determination, that set her goals in motion. A bunny cop who broke hundreds of stereotypes just to pursue her dream of becoming an officer and making the world a better place. She even partnered with a fox to finish the case! It was unheard of, it was inspiring! It was only when Judy came to the ZPA that Skye finally got to meet her hero…

 _Shortly after Nick had graduated, Judy was asked to come back to the Academy and talk with the new cadets about the case; how she solved it with the limited resources, why she didn't stop, and above all else, what it meant to be an officer for the ZPD._

 _It must have been the best two hours of her life! The cadets bombarded her with questions, some of which were surprisingly bold. Animals of all sizes inquired about her placement in Precinct 1; why there and not as a regional cop for her town? But there was one question that stood out to her the most:_

" _Would you say that being a bunny led unfair discrimination or unequal treatment." A soft voice asked._

" _I'm sorry who asked that question?" Judy inquired, surveying the room, craning her neck to try and find the voice._

" _Here, Officer Hopps." A white paw appeared in the small space between a tiger and lion cadet. They moved to the side to show a white vixen, just about Judy's age, with a pen and notebook in her paws. "Cadet Winter, ma'am."_

" _Cadet Winter? A fox?" Judy asked with a small smile, looking over at her old sargent._

" _Yes ma'am, second one to set foot on the academy."_

" _Yes, you are. Tell me something Cadet Winter, does being a fox create any obstacles for you here?"_

 _Skye was silent, but her eyes wandered to a few other cadets, who were studiously ignoring her. Judy noted the uncomfortable students and frowned before returning her attention to Skye's question._

" _I had some problems while I was here; problems with my size, with my fellow cadets. Yes it was harder, but was it a disadvantage? No, no it was not. Because life out there, in the real world isn't easy, and there may be a time when you can't say whoops, go to sleep and try again tomorrow. Being here, and facing those challenges taught me more than I had ever hoped to learn. Does that answer your question?"_

 _Skye sat up in her chair and nodded firmly. Judy could easily relate to what this vixen was going through, seeing as she went through it herself. The least she could do was show her that it's all worth it in the end. At the end of the Q &A, Judy took Skye aside and assured the young cadet that she would be there to help if things got rough, and that was the truth. The two spoke for another couple of hours, talking about their life before the ZPD, why they joined the ZPD, it was enjoyable for the both of them. For what seemed liked the first time in Skye's life, she was talking to someone who shared the same passion; the same hopes and goals. At the end of the day, Judy gave Skye a hug and pulled out a scrap of paper, writing her phone number down before handing it to the cadet._

" _Skye, it might not seem like it but...I know what you are going through. Some mammals here might turn a blind eye to it, but I won't. I'll be sure to drop by as often as I can, but if anything, and I mean anything, happens don't hesitate to call. Okay?" Judy said, hugging Skye again._

 _She would end up calling, and it would be sooner rather than later..._

"I still don't know what we _both_ have to be here. I'm sure a phone call or text message, even a postcard from the state over would've been fine!" Nick exclaimed, almost making Judy jump out of her seat. Nick didn't notice, as he was engrossed in trying to find a parking place in the crowded lot.

"I told you, I said that I'd come in but Bogo was very specific. You have to come in so he can go through some paper work with you. Plus, you said that you wanted to visit the ZPD anyway."

"Yeah, well, just because I said that doesn't mean I actually wanted to do it." Nick grumbled, still looking for a spot and moving further and further from the entrance.

"Geez what's with all the cars today, I thought you said it was dead?" Nick asked, glancing over at Judy.

"That's what Skye said, here look." Judy offered her phone to Nick, letting him see the messages.

" _Judy: Is everything all good at the ZPD? Nick and I will be there soon with Isa."_

" _Skye: Yup! The precinct is as dead as Bogo's happy face. When will you guys be here?"_

" _Judy: Few more minutes, were just trying to find a parking spot. We'll see you in a bit!"_

Aside from the confirmation texts, there was a picture of the ZPD, completely abandoned; not even Clawhauser was at his desk. Though puzzled, Nick was sighed in relief, bringing a grin to Judy's face. She shot off one last text to Skye before putting her phone back into her purse.

Finally finding a spot in the mid-back of the ZPD, Nick pulled the personalized cruiser into place, parking it between two other ZPD cruiser that towered over Nicks "Fox sized" vehicle. He sunk into his seat, his ears folding down.

"Hey, you okay?" Judy asked, placing a paw on his shoulder. Letting out a soft sigh, Nick looked over at his partner and her paw on his shoulder, feeling a bit of comfort.

"Just haven't been here in awhile. As stupid as it sounds it brings back memories." Nick chuckled weakly, "I think the last real memory of this place is when I told you that…" Nick paused trying to fight his embarrassment, "That Heather and I were planning to have a kit."

At the mere mention of Heather's name, Nick's fur bristled. Just remembering the trouble and hell that he'd to go through when she left him and their kit made him angry. No, not angry, infuriated, Filled with rage. Heather left him at his weakest point, when he needed her most, she left him without a moment's regret, after everything he had done for her. How could she possibly do that to him?

Nick took a deep breath. He didn't want to be upset or angry, this was supposed to be a good day for the three of them. He glanced over at Judy; she was looking at him, her nose twitching in concern as she saw the rage in his eyes. Nick chuckled again and reached over to touch her nose, stopping its twitching.

"I'm okay, Carrots, I promise. It's just the past, nothing we can do to change it. We can only keep moving forward." Nick murmured, smiling as he turned around and tugged on Isabelle's she was still sound asleep, she gave a little annoyed kick which made Judy and Nick giggle. The past was the past, and Judy could relate to this more than anyone else. She had lived her whole life not dwelling on the past, but instead letting it push her forward.

"Come on, Slick. Let's get this over with, it'll be done soon and who knows, you might realize that you were worried over nothing." Judy comforted, reaching over and touching Nick's arm tenderly.

Letting out a sigh, Nick smiled softly as he looked up at the grey bunny sitting across from him, who was giving him the same, soft, reassuring smile. Her lavender eyes lit up as the worry on Nick's face slid away and was replaced by a gentle, almost happy, smile. Yet, as their eyes met, both froze, it was like time had stopped and they were stuck in this one moment, unable to escape. Their smiles faded as they gazed deeper into each other's eyes.

Why now? Why was Nick so enamored that time froze and the only thing that mattered, at that moment, was the stunning bunny sitting in front of him. But, there wasn't a need to ask questions that already had answers too. She was there for him, she was always there for him, the missing piece that he so desperately craved in his life. He felt his heart beat faster and his paw edged towards her, almost of its own volition. Closer and closer, and-

"Bahhh!" Isabelle exclaimed happily, throwing her chubby arms in the air. Her shout scared both Nick and Judy, making them jump as they looked over at Isabelle, giggling in her seat.

"Dang it Squirt, could you have found a better time to wake up?" Nick thought, a sigh of relief escaping from his snout. Judy coughed and averted her eyes. They sat in silence for a few moments, stewing in the awkwardness of what had just happened. Blushing, Judy scrambled to find her purse, and Nick spun around, grabbing the steering wheel and staring straight ahead, trying to wrap his head around what just happened.

"I'll, um…I'll grab Isa!" Judy exclaimed, not even waiting for approval or rection as she leaped from the car and ran to the side.

"I'll grab her bag!" Nick said to no one in particular as he too bolted out of the car and rushed to the trunk.

Meanwhile….

"Quit hogging the screen, I can't see!" A voice said, pushing the pudgy cheetah out of the way.

"Hey it's not my fault you're too short to get a good view!" He retorted, still fighting over the view.

"Ugh! Fine tell me what's happening then." Skye said, sitting down in a huff.

"Okay, umm…They're talking, looks like Nick is grabbing something from the back. This isn't what i- HOLD THE PHONE!" Clawhauser squealed, his face glued to the monitor.

"What?! What is it?" Skye asked excitedly as she jumped up and tried to look over to the screen. Ben scooted out of the way, finally, as Skye looked up at the screen. Judy had her paw resting on Nick's forearm.

"Oh this is it!" Skye squeaked, edging forward and watching the magic unfold.

"What in the great Sahara is going on here!" Bogo roared, slamming his fist on Clawhauser's desk, but neither Clawhauser or Skye flinched or moved a muscle.

"Chief, check this out!" Skye said, waving him over. Bogo cocked an eyebrow and let out a tired sigh as he walked over.

"What could possibly be so interesting." He grumbled as he stood behind Ben and Skye, his arms crossed.

On the screen was Nick and Judy, gazing into each other's eyes; anyone who was watching could easily guess what they were feeling.

"I bet fifty bucks they'll kiss." Ben exclaimed.

"I'll take that action!" Skye said, slamming down a smaller sized fifty dollar bill on the desk. "Chief you in?"

"Am I 'In,' Officer Winter? I will not condone any type of gambling in my precinct!" As they kept watching, a few more officers joined to see what all the fuss was about. "Put me down for fifty, they will." Bogo muttered, eyes fixed on the feed.

"Alright the Chief is in!" Skye crowed, grinning at the abashed water buffalo, "What bets do I have on Officers Wilde and Hopps! Minimum is at least fifty bucks; winnings get distributed between winners and the new dad!" Skye ex paused the footage and jumped up on the desk, her white ears perking up at the officers holding up their money.

"What are the odds?" a white wolf called from the back.

"At the moment seems to be fifty-fifty, so let's say 65-35 that they'll kiss!" Hearing that created a flood of betting by the officers. Skye took a second to jot down the names and bets of the officers, which she tried to do as quickly as possible, since the footage was paused; who knew how much time they had.

"Okay, okay. Hey! Shut it!" Skye ordered, restoring order to the room. "Right, we have ten saying they will kiss and five saying they won't! Since some bets start at fifty bucks and some bet higher that should be roughly, One-thousand! Everyone good? Alright, let's see what happens."

Skye nodded to Ben who pressed play on the footage and fast forwarded it to bring it back to real time. The room was silent, besides a few officers placing side bets and murmuring amongst themselves.

"Okay here we go!" Ben squealed, leaning closer. Within seconds, every officer had crowded around the desk, pushing and shoving to watch, wait, and see if their colleagues would finally kiss. "Ohh they're going for it!" Been squealed excitedly as Judy and Nick started to lean in. Everyone had excited expressions on their face as they watched the screen, well, everyone except Bogo, who leaned back with his arms crossed and an indifferent expression on his face.

Nick and Judy leaned closer and closer before suddenly jumped back in their seats, looking in the back of the car.

"Noooooooo!" The losing officers groaned.

"Yeah yeah, ya big pups, bring your bets to the front, winners will get theirs in a minute!" Skye exclaimed happily as she watched the officers slam their cash down on the table. Least it was a little something extra for Nick and judy.

"Knew it. I'll be in my office, call me when they get in." Bogo stated, dropping his fifty on the table. "Give my share to Wilde." Bogo ordered as he walked back up the stairs to his office.

"Uh, Skye?" Clawhauser said worriedly, tugging on her sleeve.

"Hmm? Whats up spots?" Skye said, counting the winnings and putting half aside for Nick and Judy.

"I don't see them on the live feed anymore."

"What!?" Skye choked, whipping around to face the cheetah. She ran to the monitor and he was right, they weren't in the parking lot. "What about section-B?" Skye asked, clicking through the feed. "Okay okay, uhh oh the door! Backdoor, lot door!" Skye blurted out. Ben checked tha camera and there was Nick walking in, the door closing behind him, only leaving a quick glimpse of his tail.

"Ohhh butter-biscuits, they're here everyone! They're here!" The whole ZPD erupted, the panicked officers running and hiding in some concealed area, while others ran to the back, others hid behind the desk, some seats, or the walls if they were too big to fit anywhere else.

Seconds after, a door swung open, the noise echoing throughout the whole ZPD. Nick peered in; he had never seen the ZPD so empty before, it was spooky but kinda cool. Judy handed Isabelle over to Nick as she walked ahead of them.

"Hey sweetheart." Nick cooed as he nuzzled Isabelle's cheek. "Well, this is certainly ne-"

"SURPRISE!" All the officers yelled, springing out of their hiding places and flooding the room with balloons of every colour; another officer pulled a string opening up a large banner above of Clawhauser's desk. On instinct, Nick turned away, shielding Isabelle, but soon turned back around as he began to see what was going on. Nick looked around the precinct in shock, his mind not processing what was in front of him. Isabelle, on the other hand, was reaching up, trying to grab the balloons that were meters away. Nick looked around in awe at all of the smiling faces as mammals soon came to greet Nick and Isabelle. He glanced up at the banner, which read in great big letters:

 _CONGRATULATIONS NICK! IT'S A GIRL!_

"C-carrots, what, what is all of this?" Nick asked, as he watched other officers started to bring out wrapped boxes, colourful bags, light pink balloons, and even food which ranged from pink frosted cupcakes, to a pie, a few boxes of pizza, and, of course, even more boxes of donuts.

"This, Nick is our gift to you. It's a baby shower. It's a little late, but better late than never!" Judy murmured, grinning at Nick as they watched all of the officers construct a pile of gifts.

"Smile, new daddy!" Skye teased, snapping a candid of the shocked fox. Judy smiled on cue, but Nick was a little behind on his reaction. He blinked a few times after the flash went; even Isabelle had to rub her eyes but was still giggling afterwards.

"Skye? You were in on this too?" Nick asked, glancing at Judy then back to Skye.

"In on it? She helped me plan it and get word out." Judy preened, smiling at the white vixen who was distracted by her phone. Skye looked up at the sound of Judy's voice and let out a small squeak.

"Awe look at this little cutie! So this is Isabelle? Oh she's adorable! May I hold her?" Skye asked shyly.

Nick blinked and moved closer, letting Skye extract Isabelle from his arms arms.

"Oh my goodness look at you. You're just a happy kit aren't you! Yes you are!" Skye cooed as she ticked Isabelle's stomach, making the little kit giggle loudly. "And those eyes, look at them! Judy they look almost identical to yours!" Skye glanced up and beamed as she handed Isabelle back to Nick.

"Anyways, tt was the least we could do for you Nick. We've missed you here you know. Hey! Ben, drop the box those are for everyone! Sorry guys I'll be back in a bit, I gotta make sure Benji doesn't run away, or try to, with the donuts. Ben, I said drop it! I will shave you!" Skye yelled as she ran after the chubby cheetah.

"You planned this?" Nick asked as he looked over at Judy.

"Well not me but a few of us-ouf!" Judy squeaked as Nick enveloped her in a vice-like hug with one arm, cradling Isabelle, who was happily cooing, in the other.

"Thank you, Judy, thank you so much." Nick said, his voice cracking as he wiped his eyes.

"You're welcome Nick." Judy murmured as she returned his hug, wrapping her arms around his chest, and moving one down to pet Isabelle's fur.

There it was again, that indescribable moment that Nick and Judy shared. The warm, fluttery feeling rushing through them, their hearts beating faster, the butterflies in their stomach, it was that little unspoken thing between them, they didn't need to say anything but they knew, deep, deep down they knew.

 **Click!**

Judy and Nick blinked and looked over at the small crowd forming in front of them a few meters away, most of the officers had their arms crossed with knowing smiles, except for Skye who was holding her phone and cackling with glee. Skye looked up at the officers glaring down at her.

"What?" Skye shrugged, grinning at her colleagues.

Judy giggled as she took Nick's arm.

"How about we go and open your gifts." Judy said, pulling Nick towards the pile in the center of the room.

"Gifts?" Nick asked as he walked with Judy to one of the tables that the other officers had laid out for them. It had a huge variety of gifts, from large to small, boxed and bagged, heavy and light. Nick was absolutely speechless as he looked across the colorful array of gifts; gifts given by the mammals that he was worried would judge him. But not a single officer looked at him that way.

When he sat down with Isabelle on his lap he almost didn't know what to do, it felt greedy to open one, let alone the whole stack, but they were all for him and Isabelle. But when he opened one it soon became another and another; he was like a kit at Christmas. Nick did save the wrapped ones for Isabelle, she seemed to enjoy the sound of the paper ripping open, or maybe it was just the ability _to_ rip something open and not get in any trouble. She soon started ripping the paper apart, even if it wasn't attached to a gift, she ripped it anyway. Though Nick did have to keep a close eye on what she was doing, since while he was thanking a fellow officer for a gift, she did try to eat a piece of the paper. Upon stopping her, she promptly bit him, well more of a nip.

Like the packaging, the gifts all ranged in novelty and usefulness. One of Nick's favourite gifts was a new coffee maker and a few tins of coffee, with a small note saying:

 _If you don't need this now, you will later._

 _Your friend, Skye._

No surprise Skye would give Nick such a "thoughtful" gift, but that of course wasn't her only gift. Skye also gave Nick and Isabelle an array of clothing, from onesies to new pajamas and dresses, but of course she wasn't the only one who gave the gift of clothing to Nick and Isabelle. Many other officers gave a few dresses and onesies which ranged in colours from bright pink all the way to a colour that matched Isabelle's auburn fur. And of course on the more traditional side, other officers handed Nick a card with either cash or gift cards to 'Kits, Cubs, and Beyond'. When Nick read the gift card, despite being thankful, his first thought was to wonder what the "beyond" part was.

After the gifts was when the chaos began. Everyone in the precinct soon crowded around Isabelle once they were done. Isabelle was still sitting in Nick's lap happily ripping apart small pieces of wrapping paper and, like before, trying to eat some of it.

The officers crowded around her and Nick, and while he was worried about Isabelle being uncomfortable, it was obvious to Judy and Skye that Isabelle was soaking up the attention.

"She is such a little cutie." Skye said, watching the crowd swarm Nick and the young kit, all talking over one another, cooing and playing with isabelle.

"Mmmhmm." Judy sounded in agreement, smiling happy.

"Though she's not the only one, is she?" Skye said slyly, glancing over at Judy.

Judy turned her head, her eyes wide as her face turned a deep shade of crimson.

"What, what do you mean?" She stammered.

"Oh come on Jude, we all know how you feel 'bout Nick. It's not that big of a secret. Besides, of everyone here, I'm one of the only ones you don't keep your guard up around; I've seen more than half the cops here have." Skye said with a knowing smile. "So, spill."

Judy let out a sigh. Skye was right after all, Judy did trust her more than any other cop in the precinct, besides Bogo and Ben, that is. Skye had even stepped in as her partner on the few occasions when Nick was either resting at home or watching Isabelle.

"Well…I…He…Ugh! I don't know Skye!" Judy blurted out in frustration. "I mean yeah I like him but it's just, what if he doesn't like me or what if word gets out? Not many animals are okay with the whole interspecies idea."

"Including your folks?"

"Don't get me started. You know, I still haven't told Nick it was my dad who gave me the fox repellant! What will he do once I tell him that I want to date a fox?!"

"What _would_ he do?" Skye asked, turning and crossing her arms. Judy looked at her, puzzled, and tried to find a response, but before she could Skye continued, "Look, Jude, your folks aren't going to do squat because they can't do squat. You're a cop in the ZPD, who has a life here, what are they going to do? Ground you?"

"I wouldn't put it past them." Judy chuckled.

"Don't worry about your folks, if you had listened to them in the first place, you wouldn't even be here!"

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"More often than you think, Hopps." Skye said with a cocky smile, making Judy chuckle, but her face quickly narrowed, as her ears dropped.

"You said that basically everyone knows about how I feel, what are their thoughts on it?"

Skye grimaced, not saying a word. She had to take a moment to phrase what she had to say; how could she tell her friend the truth?

"I'm not going to lie, most are okay with it, but…there have been some jerks who think they should give their two cents." Skye said in a huff. Judys winced, knowing that there was already some tension wasn't a great feeling.

"What are your thoughts on it?"

"On what?" Skye asked, looking back at Nick who was much more relaxed, and Isabelle, who was laughing at Wolford playing peek-a-boo with her.

"You know…interspecies couples." Judy whispered, her ears falling behind her head.

"What's there to think about? I don't see any problem with two mammals who love each other. What's wrong is when people start to say things that can cause chaos, or say something with the sole intention of hurting someone."

Who were the mammals that Skye was talking about? She seemed to have a pretty strong opinion of them as well, not to mention her whole opinion on interspecies couples. Though it sounded the idea that anyone would have an issue with two mammal's love sounded childish and idiotic to Judy, she remembered the looks that they got from bystanders and drivers of other cars on their way to the ZPD.

"What is all of this ruckus in my precinct!" A voice shouted from the second floor. Within seconds the room was silent, as the loud stomping of hooves rang through the lobby. One after another, the steps grew louder as Bogo reached the main floor. Everyone's eyes followed him as the buffalo made his way to the crowd. Judy and Skye stood in the back watching everything from a safe distance. While Judy peered over curiously, Skye did not move a muscle. Her eyes were fixed and her face looked hard enough that you could've sworn she was a long time cop instead of a rookie.

"Well?" Bogo said looking around at the crowd. "Anyone going to answer me?"

silence…

"Well, let me ask a better question then. Officer Winter!"

"Yes Chief!" Skye responded with order in her voice.

"Did I not request to be buzzed down upon Officer Hopps and Wildes arrival?" he asked in a overly friendly tone.

"Yes, sir, you did." Skye said, monotonic.

"Care to explain why I wasn't?"

"To simply put, sir, Officer Wildes kit was very adorable sir, we were all busy playing with her and setting everything up."

Bogo glanced around at the balloons and banners that filled the main area of the precinct. With a small grunt he looked back down at Skye.

"Well done then, Winters. Wilde!" Bogo shouted.

"Down here sir!"

"I know that, I haven't shouted your name in so long I missed doing it. Expect it much more when you finish your parental leave in a few months."

Nick let out a chuckle as he cradled Isabelle in his arms. The small kit let out a yawn, after over an hour of straight attention even she can get worn out. Nick rubbed his paw against her cheek softly. Pride was too short of a word to describe what Nick was feeling. Maybe a sense of accomplishment for being a better parent than his were, satisfaction for doing what others would consider idiotic or foolish but he pushed past and did it for love. That was it. Love. Nick felt love. For the little bundle of fluff in his arms. The little bundle of fluff that he was raising by himself, without Heather, without his parents, without-

No. no that wasn't true. He wasn't raising Isabelle by himself, taking that credit was just wrong and unjust. He was raising his daughter with his best friend, the one mammal who stuck by him when he needed it most. Who taught him how to do…everything to take care of a kit! Yes, Nick was feeling love, but was it directed at more than one was the question.

"Well, I think that's enough of that! Right now, quit trying to suffocate them and get back to work! Zootopia isn't going to keep itself safe now is it!"

"Yes Sir!" shouted the cops crowding Nick and isabelle. As they were running around, some taking down the decorations and some helping pack the gifts, all while Clawhasuers was happily helping get rid of the remaining food, Judy and skye walked over to Nick and Bogo.

"Hopps." He stated.

"Sir." Judy said with an accomplished smile.

"Rather successful, well done. Winter, help clean up around here then report to the pen for your assignment." Bogo stated without looking at her.

"Yes'sir. I'll see you three when you get back, we'll grab a coffee." Skye said happily as she hugged Nick and Judy, and gave a small kiss to isabelle before running to help Wolford bring down the balloons.

"I understand that you two have a schedule to keep so I won't hold you back for too long. Wilde, contrary to what Hopps might've told you other than this party you are not needed here. So don't worry. Hopps though, I do have something for you." Bogo brought his hand around from his back, he was holding a small envelope, sized perfectly for Judy or any other smaller mammal.

"Sir, what's this?" Judy asked, only reading the small name on the top of the folder, which had a ZPD stamp in the middle, but something was different. The precinct. The file wasn't issued from the City center, which was odd.

"Since Wilde is still out of commission and Winter has her hands full i'm assigning you a new partner. He's still a rookie but he has potential to say the least. I want you to make sure he's trained right, by the books, and as thorough as possible." Bogo said, monotonically. Before turning around and making his way back to his office.

Judy and Nick looked at each other as they watched Bogo walk back to his office. They both new better than to say anything, or try to contradict him. It was true, since Nick was on parental leave and if Skye was busy already, having a new partner would take the stress off of judy, unless the partner was completely incompetent. Until they met this new cop.

While Nick walked ahead, Judy lagged behind, glancing over the document Bogo had given her, the files were interesting and impressive to say the least. But until she could meet this new partner of hers, all they had to go on was a very long transfer report and a name, Jack Savage.

* * *

Next stop, bunny borrow! The day seems to keep on its pleasant track, hopefully it can stay that way...


	3. One Last Stop

_I'm not sure what I would call this to be completely honest. Now, I know it's love but back then I wasn't sure, would it be acceptance, or just pity. Maybe every time Bonnie and Stu Hopps looked at my dad, they could only feel pity for him; a single father raising his daughter by himself, at that point Mom didn't really count as they weren't formally together. Regardless of how they felt in the past, there's one thing I can say for sure; they've always cared about me. They've always considered me part of the family, even though they might not have seen Dad the same way. I remember them being so loving, caring, like actual grandparents are to their own grandkits. Growing up the way I did, having them was more of a luxury than anything else. I mean of course I had grandma, Dad's mom, but I didn't meet her until I was a bit older; the Hopps were there from the beginning. They've always been my family, every single one of them, all two-hundred and eighty-six, not counting Mom and Todd. I always found it interesting that they never questioned who I was, or how I was born, they just saw me as a young kit who needed love. It was a nice change of pace, especially for Mom and Dad who, despite trying to hide it from me, had to deal with more than their fair share of disapproval from plenty of other mammals…._

"Come on Carrots, we're on vacation. Can't you at least wait until we get to your parents before getting your tail buried in paperwork?" Nick huffed, trying to get a better grip on the squirming kit in his arms.

"I know, I know, but Nick, you should see what this guy has done!" Judy exclaimed, her eyes wide with admiration and an excited smile spreading ear to perked ear.

"Perfect arrests, has never passed up a case or left a case unsolved, see this is what the ZPD is about!" Judy finished with an excited jump in the air, her pink dress fluttering along with her.

"Okay so he's good, let's not forget who your real partner is Fluff." Nick said, raising an eyebrow at the excited bunny.

"He's better than good, he's absolutely incredible! I've never seen an officer with this type of record!"

"Alrighty well since Officer Perfect is the topic at hand, what else can you tell me about him? If he's going to be watching your back for the next few months then I'd like to know who he really is."

"Aww look at you being all protective." Judy teased, shooting Nick a smug grin.

"It's not being protective, it's being a good partner," Nick corrected, returning her grin, "now what else can you tell me about him?"

"Well he's still new, only been there just over a year." Judy began, reading from file, "Born outside of Zootopia, on the outskirts of Bunnyburrow."

"No kidding? Huh, I didn't think there were many predators from that area who wanted to be cops."

"He's not a predator, actually." Judy said, confusion entering her voice as she scanned the file, "He's a bunny?"

"What?" Nick asked, stopping in his tracks and turning to look at Judy. "Judy, what's his name?"

"Hang on I just passed it, let's see here...ah! Savage, J-"

"Jack Savage?!" Nick yelped.

"Yeah, actually that's it. How'd you know?" Judy asked as she closed the file and tucked it under her arm.

Nick stood there, unmoving, with a blank look in his eyes. Isabelle stopped squirming and looked up at him, eyes wide with confusion; a look mirrored by Judy, whose excitement for a new partner was fading as she stared at the motionless fox.

"Jack and I…we were in the same platoon back in the academy. Or we were…" Nick turned and started walk again, Isabelle silent in his arms and Judy following close behind, ears drooping in concern at the sound of Nick's low, almost inaudible, voice.

"He was my friend, we looked out for one another since we were both outcasts; well I was at first, but he was even more so than I was…"

 _One year ago in the Zootopia Police academy…_

 _"_ _Jack and I, we weren't like the other cadets there. They were all bigger, faster, stronger. They never cared about who they were before they entered the ZPA but for some reason they targeted us, Jack and I…"_

Jack looked across his room in disbelief; all of his belongings were scattered across the floor. Though it was common for the older cadets to come in wreak havoc, this was different. Pictures were shattered and ripped, his clothes were everywhere, shredded and smeared with unbearable filth, and pinned to the wall was a note, written in blood red ink: GO HOME COTTONTAIL

Jack ripped the note from the wall and crumpled it in his paw, turning to look at the group of cadets muttering amongst themselves. He began to storm over, ready to unleash his fury, before a paw gripped his shoulder and pulled him back.

"You don't want to do that Savage." The voice said calmly. Jack spun around, shoving the paw off in his anger.

"Look in there Wilde, look what _they_ did!" Jack breathed, his voice cracking in anger. Nick glanced inside the room and winced.

"You can't let them know they're getting to you," Nick replied, returning his attention to Jack, "they won't stop then."

"What do you want me to do then?! Just deal with it until we graduate? Six months Wilde, six months!" Jack hissed, glaring at Nick.

"Okay, look, how about I talk to them?" Nick suggested in a conciliatory tone, "Predator to predator, maybe they'll listen."

Jack didn't respond, instead, he stepped out of the way and looked down at the ground, paws clenched tightly. Nick patted Jack's shoulder as he passed him.

As Nick walked past Jack towards the group, Jack looked down at the ball of paper in his paw and fought back a sob; he opened it up to reveal the picture of him and his mother, side by side holding ice-cream cones, her arm around a small kit that hardly looked like Jack. He'd always treasured this picture, it was one of the few that his mother was smiling in. She had the same storm-grey fur as he did, with thin, faded black striped along her cheeks and ears, just like him. He mustered a wistful smile as he rubbed the picture, tracing his thumb across his mother's face.

 _YELP!_

Jack whirled around just in time to see Nick get slammed against the wall by another cadet; the wolf's claws were digging into the vulpine and pinning him into the wall as he struggled to breathe.

"Who do you think you are? You think anyone would actually listen or trust you, _fox_!" The wolf snarled to the shouts of encouragement filling the hall. The wolf brought his other paw up, unsheathing his claws.

"What good's a fox who can't see, eh boys?" Ugly laughter flooded the space as a twisted smile grew on the wolf's muzzle.

He brought his paw back, claws casting a shadow along Nick's face. Nick shut his eyes tightly, preparing himself for the blow to come.

"AHHH!" Jack screamed, flying into the wolf and knocking him to the ground. Nick slid to the ground, gripping his shoulder, as the wolf landed with a wet _crunch!_

"AGH! SON OF A-" The wolf gasped, holding his side.

Nick leaned against the wall, letting out small gasps and coughs as Jack tried to haul him to his paws.

"What in the world is going on here!?" Major Friedkin storming into the room and surveying the cadets. She glared down at the wolf, who was curled into a ball, gripping his side, and shuddering in pain.

"Who is the Commanding Cadet of this platoon!"

Jack released Nick and stood at attention, his back straight and his fists down alongside him.

"I am, Ma'am. Cadet Savage, currently the Commanding Cadet of Platoon C32."

"Tell me, _Cottontail_ , what is going on here and what happened to this cadet!" The bear snapped, pointing down at the wolf.

Nick glanced at Jack, though he didn't break his pose. He stood, looking up at the bear and without a moment's thought blurted out "Cadet Howlsen fell while going to talk with Cadet Wilde. It appears he may have fractured or broken his ribs."

"Are you telling me that he fell and broke his ribs, on a dry floor, in a well lit room, with five other cadets in close proximity, but evidently not close enough to catch him?" Friedkin asked, looming over Jack.

"Yes Ma'am, that is correct." The bunny answered coolly.

"Hmm. Does anyone here have a different story?" She asked, glancing around the deathly silent "Alright then. You two, help me carry Cadet Howlsen to the infirmary. As for the rest of you, get this place cleaned up! Smells like manure in here."

"Yes Ma'am!" Jack stated loudly. Two other cadets bent down to pick up the wolf, slowly lifting him up and carrying him from the room.

"Wilde, on your feet! You're coming with me." The bear said, not turning around.

"Huh? I-Yes Ma'am, but why?" Normally asking 'why' to any officer would warrant at least fifty push-ups, but the Friedkin only snorted and said,

"Because the puncture wounds in your neck are bleeding. We need to get you stitched up. Let's go."

 _"_ _Now you would think that that would be it right? Jack didn't say anything against his fellow cadets, he saved them from being expelled or arrested, job well done, they work as a team from there on out…you'd be wrong to assume that…if anything it got worse, very quickly…."_

Nick sat on the bed, wincing as the lioness nurse dabbed rubbing alcohol on his wound. For the past few days, Nick had repeated the same statement to his commanding officers, sergeants, even the Warrant Officer, but he stuck to the same story. They probably suspected _something_ , but since his story wasn't going to change they didn't see any reason to investigate further; until another cadet showed up in the infirmary…

"There was a fight, we need the doctor ASAP!" Friedkin yelled, bursting through the door, snow white fur spattered with blood. What he didn't notice right away was who was laying in her arms.

"Jack?" Nick said in a hoarse whisper.

The nurse that was attending to Nick dropped her equipment and ran over to the polar bear, taking Jack from her arms and laying him on a bed given by another nurse. "What happened?" She asked, pulling on a pair of gloves.

"A fight, I had to pull the other cadet off of him. He wasn't fighting back, I don't think he could. He was just laying there…covered in…" She stopped herself when she noticed Nick; his ears down and a look of shock and fear on his face as he gazed at Jack.

Friedkin whispered something to the other nurse and within a second she rushed over and pulled the curtains around Nick's bed, blocking his view entirely. Nick wanted to say something, to speak up, to call out to his friend laying on the bed but he couldn't. He couldn't find the words in his throat to speak up.

 _Now…_

"I was sent back to my platoon, and other than the five mammals missing, six including Jack, nothing changed. It was like it never happened. The rest of us pushed through as a team but I never heard anything about Jack. I tried to go and see him, but the nurses wouldn't let me through the door, kept saying they're too busy to have some cadet walk around."

"You're sure this is him?" Judy asked, holding up the file, it had a small picture clipped in the corner, it was identical to the bunny that was in Nick's platoon back in the academy.

"Positive. That zebra wannabe, I didn't think he made it out of there…" Nick said, stifling a chuckle, a strange glimmer in his eye while he rubbed the fur on Isabelle's head. "Sorry for kinda ruining the mood there Carrots, guess I got caught up in the past for a bit." Nick said, embarrassed, sitting down on a bench.

"Nick it's alright, that's what I'm here for." Judy said as she sat down beside him, holding his shoulder. Nick smiled, though Judy could tell his heart wasn't in it. She looked down at the ground, her droopy ears perking up as an idea popped into her head.

"Come on!" Judy said, hopping to her feet as she took Nick's hand, pulling on it softly.

"What Carrots?" Nick groaned, slumping further against the bench.

"The train won't be here for another thirty or forty minutes right? Well why don't we walk down to Duvough's Creamery and get some ice-cream? It's a hot day and Isabelle might enjoy the cool treat! I don't think she's even had ice-cream yet, has she?" Judy said, folding the file and stashing it in her purse.

Nick chuckled, ruffling Isabelle's ears and smiling at the short bunny sporting that irrepressible grin he'd grown to admire and enjoy. Still smiling, he started to stand up, stretching with Isabelle still in his arms.

"Well it is a hot day, and you are right. Isa hasn't tried Ice Cream yet, have you squirt?" Nick said, bouncing Isabelle in his arms. She giggled cheerfully as she swung her arms in the air.

"Bah!" Isabelle giggled, wiggling in Nick's arms.

"I'll take that as a 'no'." Nick said, smiling at Judy.

"Then let's go!" Judy said said, gripping Nick's free paw and waltzing down the sidewalk towards Duvough's.

For what seemed like the first time all day, all week even, Nick was calm and happy. Of course he was always happy when he was out with Isabelle and "Auntie" Judy, but after all of the excitement from today, finally getting time, quality time, with Judy and Isa was better than with anyone else.

Though Nick was finally content, Judy was feeling something completely different. While he was thinking about Isabelle, Judy, and their time together, Judy couldn't get Jack out of her mind, particularly that story that Nick told her.

Just the thought of an officer abusing another to that degree was something that was beyond unthinkable. Of course Judy had her own unpleasant experiences with her fellow cadets back in the the Academy, they never came near to the extremes of Jack's story.

The more she thought about it, the more it enraged her, causing her fur to bristle in indignation, which Nick thankfully couldn't see. What was even more disturbing was the fact that this wasn't the first time she had heard about this such discrimination. Aside from her own experiences, Skye, similar to Jack, was subjected to unfair treatment and psychological, emotional, and physical abuse.

Judy couldn't stop thinking about it; it wasn't until she heard the tinkling of the doorbell that she was jolted out of her reverie. She shook her head and blinked, clearing her mind of disturbing thoughts and returning to the present; Nick, Isabelle, ice cream. Right, Duvoughs! She thought to herself, berating her loss of focus and turning her attention to the ice-cream parlor.

Duvough's was one of the oldest and most popular ice-cream shops in Central Zootopia. Throughout the years the decor hadn't changed, with the wood-paneled walls lined with signed photos of customers , even pictures of celebrities like Gazelle, Lady Ba Ba, even Kanine West.

The store itself was run by a Frank Duvough, an elderly marmot who was an absolute gentlemammal with a slight European accent. Often working with him would be his wife, another marmot with a heavier accent, and their two sons, Danny, the eldest, who had just turned sixteen and often helped his father and his brother Christian, who went by Chris. He was three years younger than his brother and usually either helped his brother and father serve customers or cleaned up around the store.

They catered mostly to small and mid-sized mammals: Otters to wolves, and the place was usually packed solid with lines out the door. Yet Nick and Judy were pleasantly surprised; the line was reasonable. It was only to the door; just a few meters shy of the counter.

"Oh look, Carrot Cake ice cream." Nick whispered with a grin, nudging her with his elbow.

"You know Nick, bunnies can like different things other than carrots." Judy sighed, glancing at the mischievous fox, "They're not the only thing we eat."

"Then what flavor _are_ you getting?" Nick inquired, a sly grin on his face as he glanced at Judy. She scoured the flavours, mouthing them to herself and making the occasional weird face. There was a moment of silence before Nick chuckled.

"Well?" Nick asked again.

"You know, I will get carrot cake, but only because it sounds appealing!"

"Right, or you could want it because deep down your feral bunny instincts tell you to choose that tasty carrot, Carrots." Nick teased, reveling in his victory.

"Oh please." Judy huffed, her ears getting warm, "What flavor are you getting?"

"Only the best flavor in all of Zootopia: Triple Chocolate Blueberry Delight!" Nick stared ahead at the tub of ice cream as if it were surrounded by a halo of heavenly light.

"Wow, I'm shocked." Judy snarked, hiding a smile as the duo took another step closer to the counter.

It wasn't long until they were next in line, though their playful banter had attracted the attention of a few other customers; particularly one older porcupine who was sitting with her friends, hunched over and talking in a whisper, though Judy nor Nick didn't pay it any mind, hardly even noticed in fact. At least until Nick handed Isabelle, who had resumed her struggle, to Judy.

"Can you take her for a bit, Carrots, I need to go to the bathroom." Nick rambled, a sudden urgency in his voice.

Nick rushed towards the back so quickly that he didn't have enough time to tell Isabelle where he was going. She started to fuss and squirm, readying herself for a breakdown and reaching her paw out to the bathroom where Nick had vanished, trying to grab it. It would've been cute if Isabelle wasn't on the verge of tears.

"Oh hey hey hey, baby girl what's the matter?" Judy cooed, bouncing the kit in her arms.

Judy then pretended to headbutt and nibble on Isabelle's cheek, drawing her attention away from Nick's absence and to her playful aunt. Within seconds, Isabelle calmed down; Judy quickly glanced around at the other mammals, many of whom seemed relieved that their quiet afternoon wasn't about to be 'ruined' by an upset kit.

"Have you no shame?" A old, scratchy voice rasped beside Judy, making her start in surprise.

Judy turned, instinctively holding Isabelle tighter, until she noticed the wrinkled porcupine glaring at her. Her quills looked brittle and almost white despite her dark brown face.

"I'm sorry?" Judy asked in confusion as she came back to her senses.

"Have. You. No. Shame!" She shouted, slamming her cane down on the floor like she wanted to split the earth open.

Judy looked around, a few mammals started to peer over at the enraged mammal, even the Duvoughs had stopped to see what was going on.

"What are you talking about? Do I know you?" Judy asked, her voice taking on an edge.

"No you don't and thank the Lord for that, but I don't need to know you to know that you are a disgusting, freak of nature!" Judys eyes widened at the audacity of the older mammal, but before Judy could get a word in edgewise the older mammal spoke up again "And if it isn't bad enough that you're with that _fox_ , then you have to go walking around carrying…That!" She exclaimed pointing at Isabelle with her cane.

Judy's blood boiled. She fought the urge to lash out at the porcupine; her first thought was how much she wanted to toss her across the room just for calling Isabelle "That," let alone the insults to Judy. But she couldn't, she was an officer of the ZPD, an off duty officer, who was supposed to be on a small break. What more could she do other than stand there and listen to her yell?

"What would your parents think if they knew you gave birth to the kit of a _fox_? What would the Lord say if he knew what kind of world you were trying to make this!? Why do you feel the need to walk around and disrespect all of us who-"

"Alright that's enough!" Judy snapped, shaking with rage. "First of all, who do you think _you_ are to judge me based on my choices in life? If this was my daughter, if that was my husband with me that would be _my_ choice. Second, just because I'm holding a fox kit that automatically makes her mine? I'll have you know she's my Goddaughter and that _fox_ you've been referring too is my best friend."

"Well I-"

"Oh and here's another thing, before you made your disgusting, speciesist comments, did you ever consider who we actually are? No? We're police officers. Partners in fact. Nick, that's his name by the way, is on parental leave; he's a single father and I scheduled my vacation to spend time with him and my goddaughter. But I guess in your small mind, a male fox and a female bunny can't just be friends can we?"

Judy scoffed in derision as she repositioned Isabelle in her arms, her nose twitching a mile a minute and her ears flat across her back. The porcupine on the other hand was standing there, eyes wide, feeling what Judy could only hope was embarrassment. Judy began to turn around, but stopped herself, remembering one last thing.

"Oh, and that comment about my parents, they've met Nick and we're on our way there right now to spend the day with them because they've been asking to see Isabelle and Nick. They adore him. And as for "the Lord," if He would be ashamed of anyone, it would be you for being so hateful and discriminatory against someone who has done absolutely nothing to deserve your hatred.

Right as Judy finished there was a loud flush from the bathroom, a sound amplified by the awkward silence permeating the room. Nick soon backed out, drying his hands on the paper towel and tossing it in the trash like a basketball, grinning as he watched it fly in. When he turned around he stopped dead in his tracks. Everyone in the shop was looking directly at him. Nick looked behind around and patted himself down.

"I swear I washed my paws." He said holding up his paws.

Judy, turning her head back to the porcupine, giving her one last look, and marched over to Nick, grabbing his paw and pulling to the door.

"Let's go Nick." Judy muttered as she pulled Nick out of the shop. Nick followed, stumbling as he tried to match her pace.

"Wait, what about ice-cream?!" Nick yelped, nearly falling as Judy yanked him out of the shop and onto the sidewalk…

"She said what?!" Nick asked, his voice low and eyes wide with anger as he paced back and forth along the train platform.

Judy told him the whole story; how shortly after he had left, the elderly porcupine started to yell at Judy and Isabelle. How Judy couldn't take it and snapped back at her. Judy told Nick everything down to the last detail, causing her nose to twitch and a few tears of anger and sadness running down the fur of her cheek.

"Never let them see that-"

"Nick, now is not the time or the place to finish that sentence." Judy voice shook as she took a deep, quivering breath.

Nick sighed and sat down beside her, cradling Isabelle in his arms. "Hey, it's okay Carrots. It's just one mammal who didn't know what she was talking about. Don't let it spoil your day."

"How can I Nick?" Judy said, wiping her eyes. "Just because I was holding Isabelle that lady targeted us. I could take it if she was insulting me or even you, but not Isabelle, not her…" Judy drew another quivering breath as she wiped her eyes again.

"mmm." Isabelle sounded softly, reaching towards Judy.

"I think someone wants to try and make you feel better." Nick said, lifting Isabelle up to eye level

"Heh, I think she does too." Judy sniffed, taking Isabelle in her arms and hugging her, nuzzling the top of Isabelles head with her chin.

"Feel a bit better now?"

"Mhm." Judy sounded, still nuzzling Isabelle.

Nick reached over and rubbed Judy's back, it was clear that she wasn't going to let go of Isabelle anytime soon, but that was alright by both Nick and especially Isabelle, who was happily basking in the attention of her favorite aunt.

"You know, she's going to get a lot more attention when we get to my parents house right?" Judy chuckled.

"Oh I don't think Isa will mind that at all." Nick replied, sharing a laugh with Judy as he brushed Isabelle's cheek.

That was something Judy was looking forward to; watching her parents with Isabelle. They had never seen a fox kit before, so Judy couldn't wait to see how they would be around her. Of course she wouldn't see that for another few hours, but she figured it would be worth the wait...

* * *

Next stop, Bunny Burrow, to finally see the Hopps family. Though Judy and Nick are quite excited, the way their day is going they can't help but worry and ask themselves, what else can go wrong?

Don't forget to like, comment, fav, and share on Tumblr! You can also keep up to date on any new pictures for AWJ on Tumblr, just look up Nexijay or "A Wilde Journey" on Tumblr :D


	4. No Place Like Home

_Other than my dad, the Hopps are the first true family that I can remember. I've lost count of how many times they've included me as their own, even when it was blatantly obvious that I wasn't. It was funny; before Mom and Dad came out as Inters, Grandma and Grandpa Hopps would often get curious, unsettled looks, looks that clearly said, "Why are those Bunnies holding paws with that fox kit?" The looks got more intense when I played with my cousins at the park or walked around the market with them. Yet despite the number of looks Grandma and Grandpa Hopps got, they never cared. It's like it didn't even phase them. They just kept holding my paw as I skipped along the path with them. Aside from that, they were there for every birthday, holiday, even my silly award ceremonies at school. They always came even though I wasn't their real granddaughter, well not their biological granddaughter at least. I think some of my fondest memories involve going to the farm with Renee and sleeping over for the night, often pitching a tent in their backyard and having a fire with a bunch of my other cousins. The best part was that, like Grandma and Grandpa Hopps, most, if not all, of my cousins accepted me as part of the family…_

The two hour train ride didn't feel nearly as long as Judy and Nick had originally anticipated. Although they did pass the time by playing with Isabelle, sounding out words of various places and things they passed like "Bridge", "Tall", "Train" and more, filling at least an hour of their time with new words. To them, it was always cute and funny when Isabelle got the sound right immediately after hearing Nick or Judy make it. However, it wasn't long until Isabelle got tired of looking at the passing scenery and slowly drifted off to sleep in Nick's arms. Judy and Nick took the opportunity to finally sit back and relax, though the constant stops and announcements deprived them of that brief relaxation, especially as they woke Isabelle up on more than one occasion; a sleeping kit and a ticking time bomb are shockingly similar, except one explodes and the other is likely to bite you. Luckily, once the train fully left Zootopia it was a smooth ride to Bunny Borrow.

"The Zootopian Express will arrive at its last stop, Bunny Burrow, in five Minutes. Bunny Burrow, five minutes. El Zootopian Express llegará a su última parada, Bunny Burrow, en cinco minutos. Bunny Burrow, cinco minutos." The conductor spoke over the speaker. Judy let out a groan as she stretched, feeling her joints pop as she did, before gazing out the window at the rushing scenery.

There wasn't much to see other than the passing of various fields, many of which had some form of crop on them while others were barren. To most it wouldn't seem like much, farm land, plain and boring, the exact opposite of Zootopia. But for Judy this was memory lane. She looked at each individual thing and let herself become lost in her past.

When she looked at the fields, she remembered being out back with her dad pulling up carrots, cabbages, potatoes, and basically every other fruit and vegetable created while the sun beat down, warming the soil and sending rivers of sweat down her face. How he'd always ruffle her fur and call her his pride and a true Hopps. How he would plop his sun hat on her, which sank down to cover her eyes, causing fits of giggles as they walked back to the house. Her father carrying the last basket while she struggled to carry ten carrots at a time.

Then she glanced over to see a young farm bunny, probably in his mid-teens, driving his tractor along the fields. Judy grinned as she remembered learning how to drive the family's tractor. Of course, her dad taught her, and by the time they were done with their brief lesson Judy believed she knew all the ins and outs of the tractor and that there was no one better than her at driving it. The typical mindset of a hot-headed 10-year-old bunny. But her cockiness quickly backfired, as only a few days later when she tried driving the tractor solo, she ended up rolling through a crowd of her siblings, and promptly crashed into the side of the barn. Despite the many consequences of her joyride, her parents only focused on how she could've gotten hurt. How her actions were reckless and, above all, stupid.

There was one last sight that made her remember the past: a small group of siblings, all bunnies, running after the train beside Judy. It didn't take long until the train blew past them, but it was the quick view, the smiles on their faces as they ran together, all waving at the train. That reminded Judy why she was so excited to be back in Bunny Burrow. Her family. Of course, she was beyond excited to spend the time with Nick and Isa, but there was still the importance and draw of seeing her family, the ones she had moved away from, the ones that, despite what she would tell anyone, she had tried to get away from.

She sighed as she sank back into her seat and returned her gaze to Nick, who was still cradling Isabelle in his arms.

"You okay Carrots?" Nick whispered, gazing into her eyes with a concerned frown.

"Yeah, I'm fine Nick." She gave him a small smile and glanced back out the window. "Guess I'm just happy to be home."

"You could've fooled me." Nick replied, giving her a small grin as she blushed and smiled back. "Something on your mind?"

"Memories." Judy sighed, looking back out the window at the passing scenery.

"Good ones?"

"Eh. Some." She shrugged. "More good than bad, I suppose." Judy said, not taking her eyes off the window.

"Heh, well if there's one thing I know, it's that there's no place like home." Nick said leaning back and laying Isabelle down on his chest before sighing contentedly.

"No place like home." Judy said, her voice laced with sarcasm as she gazed out the window. However, Nick, surprisingly and to Judy's relief, didn't hear. The last thing she wanted to do was ruin their time.

It's not that Judy didn't want to see her family, they had a close, healthy relationship. She loved seeing each of them, the bustling energy of the house, the smiles, the arguments, the laughter, it always made Judy happy. Yet, behind all of the things that made Judy happy, being near her family, near the farm, even in Bunny Burrow, it reminded her that she was the odd one out. That she was the one who left the family behind. For some mammals, that is exactly what they want, to leave their families, to go and not look back. But not Judy. She didn't want to leave her family, she only wanted to make the world a better place, to do something that no one had tried before. To be an inspiration, not just for her family, but for other mammals out there who were scared to push past the social norms laid out in front of them. But still, the fact remained that every time she came to BunnyBurrow, she looked back. Looked back at the life she could've had with her family and, probably by now, with some farm buck. It made her anxious and melancholic, but she could never tell Nick that. Not just in fear of ruining the day, but because it was something she couldn't worry him with.

It didn't take long until the train came to a screeching halt, the platform appearing beside their window as mammals stood at the ready to either welcome those coming off, or to push their way into the train. Though there weren't nearly as many mammals here as there were back at Zootopia Central Station; it was one of the many things Judy had forgotten about BunnyBurrow, it was nowhere near as crowded. Grinning wide, Nick stretched and, still cradling Isabelle in his arms as he began to stand up, groaning dramatically and cracking his back for effect.

Judy stifled a giggle as she grabbed the day bag they had brought for Isa and swung it over her shoulder. She gave one more look out of the window of the train car and gave a soft, contented sigh. She was beyond determined; regardless of how she felt inside, Judy would push everything aside and charge into this with an open mind. This wasn't a challenge to be feared, in fact, it was hardly a challenge at all. The past was the past, what happens today is all that matters.

While that attitude didn't dispel her fear entirely, it at least made it easier to take those steps off the train with Nick. The steps away from the train were a completely different story.

Judy halted, examining Nick, who was walking a few feet ahead of her. Tilting her head sighting, she contemplated the ambling vulpine.

"Hey Nick?" Judy began, ears drooping behind her as a thought occurred, "Didn't you pack our bags on the train?"

Nick froze and glanced at the bunny with a horrified look in his eyes, his ears slowly going flat across his head.

"I may have left them in the car after the commotion at the parlor." Nick grimaced, silently berating himself for forgetting and starting back towards the exit. "I think I packed a spare shirt and pants in case Isa made a mess, but that's all I have."

Judy chuckled and shook her head as she caught up to Nick, now matching his pace as they continued along the track towards the exit.

"When we get to my parents I'll see if there are any stores around here that sell fox sized clothes." She reassured him, patting his arm.

"And if we don't, I think I can go without a shirt for a few days." Nick deadpanned, keeping his gaze fixed ahead.

"Yeah and probably give my mother a heart attack all the more." Judy snorted.

Nick glanced down at Judy, cocking one eyebrow and smiling slyly. Judy gave him a soft push on his arm, laughing at Nick's expression.

"Not because of that, Slick." Judy replied, grinning at the fox, "My parents are going to be a little on edge having a fox around the house. I think if they notice you in your more "savage state" then they might have a small heart attack."

"And I thought your parents liked me." Nick sniffed, adjusting his hold on Isabelle as the little kit shuffled in his arms.

"Oh, they do! Don't get me wrong, they asked to see you and Isabelle. Still, after how they've lived most of their life it's still hard to get rid of old fears." Judy gave an awkward chuckle, trying to lighten the mood. Just saying that felt wrong to Judy, embarrassing even, but it was the truth; Nick knew this already.

Judy pushed the door to the train station open and held it for Nick as he sauntered out.

"And what about poor Isabelle? Does she have to worry about your parents too?" Nick asked sarcastically holding the gurgling kit up in his arms.

"Like I said, they only thing she has to be worried about is my mom and sisters wanting to pinch those wittle soft cheeks of hers!" Judy said in a baby tone as she leaned over and gave a soft but loud kiss on the kits cheek.

"Hey, if you wake the shark up you're dealing with her!" Nick said, gently pulling Isa away from Judy.

"Oh it's hardly 'dealing' with her, she's an angle." Judy said softly, taking the waking kit from Nick's arms and giving her a soft kiss on the head.

"Arrmhmmm." Isabelle yawned before nuzzling into Judys dress.

"See." Judy stated, grinning at Nick.

"Well while you hold Squirt, I'm going to get dressed into something more appropriate and call us a Zuber. I'm guessing the wait time shouldn't be long, after all there's about a couple hundred thousand of you all here." Nick said with a sarcastic grin as he took the day bag from Judy's paw.

"Har har, just be sure to get a fox sized one, otherwise you'll have to ride on the roof." Judy held Isabelle with one arm as she reached into her bag and brought out a pair of handcuffs "and I have no problem making you go up there." She continued, twirling the cuffs around a digit and grinning back. Nick shook his head as he walked into the washroom of the station.

"Your daddy's a dork, isn't he sweetheart?" Judy murmured, giving Isabelle another soft kiss. Judy sat back and sighed as she inspected the station around her. It definitely wasn't anything like Zootopia, yet it wasn't the same as it was before.

Though it generally remained fairly small, the actual height of it had greatly improved since the last time she had been home. The interior matched the outside perfectly; it was small, quaint, and met the needs of all mammals. That was one thing that actually impressed her, the diversity of the station despite being so out of the way and BunnyBurrow's popularity among small and medium sized mammals. They had separate ticket lines for each size, but each one could easily be converted to meet the opposite need if necessary, different bench sizes, and of course, the large main building.

It kind of reminded Judy of the DMV; small, boring, and full of lines. Well not that many lines; it was only an out of the way country town.

"Alright!" Nick crowed, walking out of the restroom, "That feels _so_ much better!" Nick emerged in his favorite green Hawaiian shirt and brown khakis, his suit flung carelessly over his left shoulder as he stretched his arms, ruffling his tail and yawning.

"Don't you have anything else to wear?" Judy groaned in exasperation.

"You know, it may come as a surprise to you Carrots, but I actually do."

"I never see you in anything different." Judy countered, watching Nick come around to her side, placing the bag at his feet as he sat down on the bench beside her.

"I figured if I wore something different it may shock your poor fragile bunny heart too much." Nick snarked, leaning back on the bench.

"Right," Judy said, rolling her eyes, "well while you were in the washroom admiring yourself did you remember to call a Zuber?"

"I am insulted that you would think I would forget." Nick said, his arm over his heart, his other paw taking his phone out.

"When did you forget Nick?" Judy giggled, noticing him trying, and failing, to unlock his phone with his pawprint.

"When I was admiring myself in the mirror. It's perfectly normal!" Nick said in a joking defence.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Slick." Judy said with a smile as she gave another small kiss to Isabelle.

Of course, as they were in a town populated by over eighty million animals it wasn't long until their Zuber arrived, and to Nick's relief there was more than enough room to fit the trio; though Judy did have to hold Isabelle very tightly during the drive there since they had forgotten her car seat with the stroller in the back of Nick's car. Thankfully, it wasn't a long drive to the Hopps farm. To Nick, the drive was exciting; after being cooped up in his apartment for over six months he enjoyed the chance to be out again. Even watching the farmers work was an enjoyable sight, for him and for Isabelle who had woken up shortly after they had started their trek to Judy's parents. She kept herself occupied by staring out the window at the big green machines plowing through the fields, leaving a long trail of brown dust behind them.

Yet Isabelle wasn't too happy when the driver pulled away from the great big green machines and made a left onto a road which was completely barren, except for the large fields of corn on either side of the car. Hopeful, Isabelle looked over to Nick, who waved at Isabelle mouthing 'Hi Cutie' but was completely ignored. Isabelle peered out Nicks window side with high hopes and excitement, only to see the same. Rows. Of corn.

 _How is this possible?!_

In her distress, she gave a small whine before crawling back into Aunt Judy's arms for comfort. This made Judy and Nick giggle quietly as Isabelle curled into a small, mewling, ball, her blue dress ruffling in the attempt to snuggle into Judy. It was always funny to Nick and Judy, even at six months she had more personality than any other kit that Judy or Nick had ever seen; it often made for some enjoyable afternoons.

The car ride went by quickly and, other than the occasional awkward glance back from the driver, it was an enjoyable ride. To Judy, the driver, a young dark brown furred bunny, was looking at her and Isabelle trying to figure out if there was some relation. Nick however believed that he was checking her out.

"A young doe like you, of course he was checking you out!" Nick whispered to Judy, to which she responded with a stifled giggle.

"Who's to say he wasn't checking you out, slick." Judy shot back, words dripping with sarcasm.

"True, true, I hear the "dad look" is quite hot now a day." Nick said with a smug grin as he leaned back in the seat, smirking at Judy.

Judy blushed and looked down at baby Isabelle, snuggled tightly in her arms. She brushed her paw along Isabelle's head and ears, rubbing them in a soft and soothing manner. The young kit give a light sigh as what sounded like the start of a soft purr, though it was hard to tell over the engine of the car and the road.

Taking a deep breath, Nick looked over at Judy and Isabelle. Both of them were resting soundly, enjoying the comfort that they were giving another.

"Do you think your family will be the same way with her?" Nick asked. Judy opened her eyes at the question and tilted her head.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you treat her like she's your own but…" Nick looked down, rubbing his paws over one another. "Will your family accept her?"

"I would be surprised if they didn't; after all they were there for you before her birth, right?" Judy replied, a note of confusion in her voice.

"What I'm worried about, Jude, is…she's not going to have any other family other than yours. My dad left, I haven't talked to my mom in heavens knows how long, and it's not like I keep up with my cousins."

"Try Muzzlebook, I gots family all the way out in Tundratown an' I can see what they're up to everyday!" stated the buck driving the car.

It took Nick and Judy by surprise that the bunny was a) listening to their conversation, and b) that his accent was of someone from the southern parts of the country.

"Is that so?" Judy said politely, hoping to stop the flow before it began, but the bunny kept rambling on.

"Yuppers, gots family all over, and the nice thing is I don't have to worry about the distance. That's the nice thing about family, they'll be there for ya when you least expect it."

"Im sorry what did you say your name was?" Judy inquired.

"Names Buck, ma'am."

"Buck. Please do us a favor and don't eavesdrop on our conversation." Nick muttered sourly.

"Dang city folk." Buck shot back, turning his head with a snotty look on his face.

Taking a deep breath, Nick ran his paws through the fur on his head, thinking about the conversation before Buck the buck interrupted them. But, Nick knew this wasn't the time or the place. Though his fears would still be buried deep in his heart he knew it would be best to leave them there, for now at least. He didn't want to upset Judy or bring himself down.

"Hey?" Judy said with a soft smile as she handed him Isabelle, who was still sleeping, or near asleep.

"The family will love you and they'll adore her. You'll see."

"She's not wrong! Many bunny families around here love little ones, regardless of species! Plus if you don't mind my saying so, your kit there is dang adorable! What's their name?"

Judy giggled softly as Nick gave a sigh, brushing the rouge bits of fur away from Isa's eyes.

"Her name is Isabelle." Nick said softly.

"Isabelle? No kiddin' that's a rare name. Definitely not common in the city I know that much! Where'd y'all find a name like that? A book? I heard about those name books that they sell in the big cities, seen a few round here. Not a fan, not original."

"Actually, it was after a relative who passed a while back. She lived around here." Judy said looking over at Isa.

"Now that's original! After a passin' family member, now that's a good way to name a kit! Isabelle was it? Well I've been livin' in the borrows most of my young life, only know one Isabelle that came and passed and that's Old Belle Hopps, lived with her kin for the longest of times. Never met a kinder old bunny in all my life. Made amazing pies too!"

For the remainder of the car ride, Nick and Judy sat there, listening to this young bunny, Buck the buck, ramble on and on. Mostly about how amazing the homemade pies and baked goods are in Bunny Burrow and how they compare to the "trash" of the big city. Though Nick did find Bucks continuous talking and general tone annoying, it soon would be over. The Hopps Family Farm soon came into view; it wasn't hard to spot with the countless acres of farmland surrounding them. Not to mention their home was one of the only houses in the area. Nick was always surprised on how Judy could jump from such a quiet country life to a life in the bustling city. As the car pulled up, Nick noticed Judy's father, Stu Hopps, waiting eagerly in the driveway.

"Judy! Nick!" Stu greeted with open arms and joyful grin as they stepped out of the car. He was dressed in his casual work wear, a light brown shirt with his jean overalls, a small pair of gloves tucked into one pocket and a rag in the other.

He wasn't weighed down with anything more. It was an overly pleasant sight, compared to the countless animals who had their phones buried in their faces or were constantly concerned with the latest fashions. That was one thing Nick always liked about the Hopps family, their clothing was simple and had no greater meaning than its intended purpose. Having clothing was important, but they didn't care about the materialistic value behind it. Fortuitously, it was a trait they passed down to Judy.

"Hi Dad!" Judy said happily as she bustled forward to hug her father, pink dress fluttering as she reached Stu and gave him a kiss on his cheek. "How are you?" Judy asked holding her fathers brown furred paws, the coloring mostly as a result of field work and dirt, though Judy couldn't've cared less.

"Oh hardly workin' Jude, you know that." Stu said with a smile, before he looked over at Nick and Isa. That's when his smile slowly faded, though not disappearing. "I think your mom is inside if you want to go say 'hi', I know she's been itching to meet her grand-goddaughter. I just have some last minute chores to do and I'll come in and join." Stu said with a soft smile, hooking his thumbs around the straps on his overalls. He then looked up at Nick, and quickly said. "Nick, I could actually use your help. Most of the young ones are already getting' cleaned up, do you mind?"

Nick, puzzled, looked over at Judy who returned the same look. Stu was no stranger to doing twice the amount of work than he should do alone, Judy knew this all too well. Even more so when he could easily ask one of Judy's older brothers to come out and help, who would come without a moment's argument. So asking for Nick's help specifically was odd. Maybe he just wanted to save the trip to the extra hassle of going in and fetching one of his kids.

"Of course , glad to!" Nick responded, handing Isa over to Judy.

"We'll be inside." Judy confirmed with a smile as she started to walk off, cradling Isabelle in her arms.

Nick and Stu both watched Judy disappear into the house with Isabelle, the young kit starting to wake up as they entered the house, and were assaulted with the usual noise of the Hopps household. Though it was mostly the squeals of Judy's many sisters that really woke the sleeping kit. After all, noise meant attention and attention is good. Nick grinned. Not just from the Hopps' excitement to see Isa, but from the satisfaction that came from knowing they were happy to see her. It gave Nick a sense of security, knowing if something ever happened he could always bring Isabelle here and she would be safe. Spoiled, but safe.

"Before we start." Stu said looking over at Nick. "You might want to change into something less…clean. I think there's a pair of jeans and an old work shirt that should fit you, Nick." Stu said, looking at Nicks spotless hawaiian shirt.

"Thanks, I'd appreciate that." Nick chuckled as he followed Stu around back.

As they came around to the back, there was a brown barn; a barn Nick remembered all too well. Its slowly rotting wood, the smell of wet hay filling his snout, which was much more pungent in the summer heat, and the many repair jobs scattered across the floor and on the barn itself. This was where Nick found Isabelle's crib, and where he found Isabelle's name. A small sense of nostalgia came over Nick, it was funny to think that this was only eight or so months ago.

" _Time moves past so quickly."_ Nick thought to himself, walking past the tractor, running his paw across it. He'd always admired Stu and Bonnie, any farmer really. It takes a unique person to do the same job over and over again, day in and day out, but it takes a stronger man to do such labor intensive work and not bat an eye over it.

"Here we are!" Stu said, grunting as he lifted a large plastic container, that was at least half his size, and dropping it on the ground, scattering the dust on the cement floor.

"Most of these are made for more bunny sized folks, but I'm sure there's something in here that should fit you for now at least, Nick." Stu stated, not looking over at Nick as he opened the lid and began rummaging around the container.

It was packed with clothing, like something you'd see at a garage sale; completely disorganized, random bits of clothing here and there, and nothing really matching or cohesive.

"What was it you needed my help with again, Mr. Hopps?" Nick asked, looking around for some obvious chore in the close vicinity but not finding anything.

Stu immediately stopped rummaging and his brown ears gave a small twitch along with his nose, though he didn't turn to look at Nick to answer his question. He soon resumed, still keeping his focus on the task he was doing.

"Well, that's the thing…" Stu began, a note of awkwardness in his voice. "What I need your help with isn't something out here, not yet at least. No, what I need your help with has to do with Judy."

Nick's eyes widened and his ears perked up. Crossing his arms, one paw resting on his arm and the other tucked under, he leaned against a wooden post.

"Why do you need my help with Judy?" Nick inquired, eyes fixed on the bunny.

Stu sighed, brushing the dust off of his paws by clapping them together, letting a small, light brown cloud escape his paws. He took off his cap, running his paw through the fur on his head.

"Nick, Judy is coming to the age that, she's looking to settle down. Find a buck, have a few dozen kits of her own, you know, the natural order of life." Stu said, standing up, shaking the dust off of his jean overalls. "And I want you to make sure she finds the right buck."

"You want _me_ to help find her a guy?" Nick asked, pressing his paw on his chest as his tail bristled with shock.

"Not find a guy for her, but make sure she doesn't pick someone of the wrong sort. Nick, there are those out there who...don't know how to properly take care of a...doe of Judy's stature. The do's and dont's." Stu said, absentmindedly fiddling with his nails. "She needs a good buck in her life, just like a giraffe needs a giraffe, a wolf needs a wolf, a _fox_ _needs_ a _fox_." He finished, smiling and snapping his fingers together as the last comparison occurred to him.

Stu put his paws back in his pocket as Nick lowered his, resting them on his sides and looking down at the ground, absorbing what Stu just told him. Stu walked up and put his paw on Nick's shoulder.

"I know you'll do the right thing for Judy, I trust you, Nick. You're like a son to Bonnie and I. Don't let us down." Stu patted Nick's shoulder as he began to walk out of the barn "Supper should be ready soon, some of the young ones will probably want to see you before you eat, I'll be in shortly." Stu said resting a paw on the doorway of the barn before he left, leaving Nick alone to dwell in his thoughts...

* * *

I would like to personally thank each and everyone of you for being so extremely patient, i hope this chapter makes up for it!

Please tell me what you think in the comments, you can also follow/support my work on Tumblr! :D

Cheers everyone!


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